Laser Liposuction

Liposuction has been around for the past 25 years. It is now the most common elective procedure in the United States, and the procedure continues to be refined.

Last fall, I introduced Slim Lipo, or Selective Laser Induced Melting, to Chicago. Since that time, I have performed approximately 200 procedures. What have we learned? Is it safe? Yes. Does it tighten skin? Yes. Is it effective in removing fat? Yes. Are the results superior to traditional liposuction? Yes.

This laser allows one to sculpt and melt fat faster and treat larger anatomical areas efficiently. The system blends two unique wavelengths in a superior tip design that ideally controls thermal effect. Slim Lipo’s unique wavelengths: 920 nm preferentially melts fat and 975 nm preferentially heats dermal tissue to allow for skin tightening. This opens up a whole new dimension since traditional liposuction does not tighten skin and can, in fact, aggravate the elasticity. Laser Liposuction has changed our criteria as to who is an acceptable candidate. Previously, the ideal candidate was young with good skin tone, now we can treat the older patient with poor skin tone and achieve acceptable results.

I have now treated patients who I would have turned down in the past for liposuction: patients who I thought would have needed a facelift to correct a significant double chin with laxity of the neck or patients who had significant abdominal laxity of the skin and would be better served with a full abdominoplasty. With traditional liposuction, I know these patients would have had a totally unacceptable result, but with Laser Liposuction the results have exceeded my expectations and, more important, have met the expectations of my patients. Are the results the same as would have been achieved with the more invasive facelift or tummy tuck? No. But the point of plastic surgery is to fulfill the fantasies of the patient, not necessarily those of the plastic surgeon.

Much of what we do in plastic surgery is dealing with the problem of skin laxity, either as a result of aging, excessive weight gain and loss, or as a result of pregnancy. To correct the problem, we often have to resort to more invasive procedures, such as tummy tucks, thigh lifts, body lifts, facelifts, and arm lifts. The results are usually life changing, but the scarring can be significant. With the introduction of Laser Lipo, we now have a powerful tool to promote skin tightening. In many instances, patients may be better served with a less invasive procedure and significantly less scarring.

Patients should also be aware that the technology is only as good as the surgeon. This requires the eye of an artist, the skill of a sculptor, and the knowledge and judgment of a plastic surgeon.

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